


Smile [A Renegade fanfiction]

by Kiaramielicious



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Birdflash - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Gotham, M/M, Supermatian, YJ, Zatanna and Artemis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 08:26:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18279488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiaramielicious/pseuds/Kiaramielicious
Summary: Memories filtered through his mind and a chilling feeling began to fill his chest, it felt like death itself had curled its claws around his soul. Every laugh they had shared, gone forever. A kid shouldn't carry half the hatred that he did but for fucks sake he did. Good god did he hate, hate, hate.Richard's cries calmed to soft whimpers as his eyes felt heavier, when had the world become so cruel. How had he missed it.Inevitably, his tired voice surrendered to the silence as the darkness curtained the edge of his vision, in a strange calmness rained over him that reminded him of the saying his father used to say, peace after the storm. Except it didn't feel like peace. It just felt...empty.He was lulled to sleep by the beat of his heart although it was probably from the impact of his head against solid concrete combined with malnutrition that he faced on the streets. But that was his opinion anyway. So he listened to the soft thumps of his heart and the last thing he heard was a deep voice that he knew for sure didn't belong to anyone he knew, but none of the words reached his ears. He just closed his eyes and waited for the silence to claim him."The broken ones are always easier to control."





	1. The beginning

What does one of the most young, feared and reputed assassin in Gotham city look like? 

A crazy lunatic with sociopathic tendencies and an unquenchable thirst for blood? A soldier dragged through the mud and forced to see the world from the lowest point and gradually understanding the functioning of society since his early childhood? Like an intricate machine, carefully dismantled piece by piece until the complicated mechanisms could easily be deferred by a child? The world is one hell of a dark place and it's usually the ones who understand how it works that rule it.

I don't know about you but I'm pretty damn sure the assassin I have in mind sure as hell isn't. Because that would require a solid upbringing, an education, an identity that led to this very moment, that opened the myriad of possibilities to choose from, events and life-altering decisions to lead all the way up to this point in time. Or to put it more simply, memories. 

Every, single, one.

A birthplace. Where you came into the world screaming your lungs out covered in blood as you were forced to take your first agonizing breath. The small heart in your chest fully functioning and independent of its former recipient to insure your survival.

A name. That little word that that women who brought you into the world pondered on over and over again until she found the perfect way to adresse you.

A family. That was a good one, it's that group of crazy people that you keep getting annoyed by but that you know will protect you with their lives. They're the most important people in your life who have been there since day one and will hopefully be there to see you become that very same thing for someone else. They're the ones who put their blood sweat and tears into raising you and helping you to become the person you are now regardless of who you'll end up being in the, who won't judge you for your mistakes and will be there through thick and thin. 

The key elements of an identity. Because with out that what are you? Why should anyone throw a second glance? You are nothing, no one and never will be and therefore you are untouchable. One cannot coexist with what isn't there. You are a face in a sea of faces. Invisible, intangible.  
But that isn't how this story was meant to go. No that'd be too damned easy. 

No this assassin struggled from the start. From the trapeze to the fall, the thirst for blood giving him the strength to soldier on and push past the pain and continue to struggle against all odds. That is the path that he cannot turn away from and will not turn away from. This path may lead to horrors beyond imagination but so is fate, it's a continuous nightmare that will never turn down an opportunity to beat you to your knees and finish you off, only sparing the bravest and strongest and leaving the weak to be consumed by the darkness that will slowly drown them. Yes he was strong, even if he didn't feel like it.

He knows that. The assassin I mean. He can't afford not to know that because sometimes tough love is what you need. To know that the moment you give up the fight, the second your bring your arms down it's game over, if you give up than there's no turning back and the path ahead is a damned ugly one.  
Well never mind that, it was never about love anyway.

No identity means no background, no medical insurance, no money which leads to no food or clothes, no beliefs, no morals, no family, no nothing. Nothing but endless confusion, how can he be-exist? How can he exist? Be who he is? What made him this way? What created him this way? Stubborn, hot-headed, vicious, angry, lonely shell of a human being?  
Can't complain though, you can't miss what you never had...right? 

So at least there's that. 

Even so, you have no idea how agonizingly frustrating it is to look into the mirror and meet a goddamn stranger each time. Those freakishly lue eyes that just-just stare at him! Like he's the stranger! The intruder, the one who isn't supposed to be there and maybe he's right! Maybe he isn't even real but what the hell else is there?! Who else can there be except him? He hates the way the longer he stares back, the deeper he'll be sucked into that blue abyssal ocean that drowns any hope he can muster, leaving his blank memory even more blank! Unable to whip up the slightest slither of recognition. So very, very frustrating. 

But amnesia has its perks, there are like...two but beggars can't be choosers can they? There are no doubts behind actions. The chains of morality and norms wither and shatter like porcelain. There's nothing pinning him down and keeping him away from unlocking his full potential, be as gruesome as it may, it is an essential asset in his line of work. At least from what people have told him, he's lucky. Got a second chance at life kid! To start over with a blank slate. None of them understood that he wanted more, always more but there was no one to deliver. His curse.  
Even in the short time since his...birth, that clarity, that utter transparency was stained quickly and once again found its way around his conscience because that just what life does! It always finds a way to incruste itself in your head and make you feel like a piece of shit. Sometimes it's right and sometimes it's...also..right. And with a conscience came the most torturous ordeal of all, emotions. 

God. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Why couldn't he be like all the other kids his age? Those whining, ungrateful, underdetermined, underserving, naive-alright so maybe that's not what he really really really wishes for at night before crying himself to sleep but still, a bit of normalcy wouldn't hurt. Or would it? Seriously what even is normal at this point? Wouldn't he like to know. Well at least he didn't fall onto the pavement of death at the unripe age of 8 right?

Ooh. That's right, he did fall onto the pavement of death, he scraped his fucking everything on that pavement. Well he didn't fall. Per-say.  
Goodness no. What kind of kid starts killing people at eight of all ages? Nah. Like most people who start out with a realistic/pessimistic view on life in general he was orphaned. Yeah boo-hoo get over it, he has. Well he never had too cuz you know, amnesia. But now that he looks back at his short life he quickly decides that, it was for the best, mostly for him and for the sake of his mental stability not that he is...mentally stable. Like at all. Ain't no one got time to be mentally stable up here.

Sleeping in the dirty alleys behind decaying buildings and avoiding the looks thrown his way, usually either disgust or something between bitterness and superiority. Like that look elderly women give to Sugar, that 23 year-old prostitute that also works at that coffeeshop.

He usually just scoffs at them. Psh. Like they were off better. With their fake, vicious smiles and malice in their sharp, mean eyes. He was glad he had not been raised by such dishonest and vehement creatures who revolved around the more fortunate like parasites. 

He was hunting the man who murdered the two people dearest to him in the world. It was an angry child's decision. Brash and unplanned and holly hell was he doing a whole lot of regretting right now. He was hungry, and let him just say, it was hunger like nothing he had ever experienced before. His parents weren't rich being in a traveling circus and all but goddamn! They had never let him go hungry like this before! The cold was more bitter than the hurtful words thrown his way and everything hurt but most of all, he was alone, so very alone. The young boy was an innocent soul, protected and shielded from the hatred and cruelty of his peers his entire life, never had he witnessed cruelty on behalf of anyone which made it just that more unsettling.  
It didn't make sense. Everyone around him had always been friends, close, warm like a family. That was it. Family. So why couldn't he get that feeling from anyone? No matter where he wandered, that warmth and security had been wiped clean, replaced by the mischievous glint he found in the eyes that followed him wherever he found himself to be. It was inconceivable to him, unthinkable. He just couldn't understand. Had this all been a charade? Had his life that had gone without a hitch until now been nothing but an illusion? A lie? What else hadn't he seen? What else had been hidden from him? Was any of it even real? Did pop Haley even love him? Did the other performers, his family, did they love him? Did his parents ever love him to begin with?  
What was he talking about. Of course they loved him. But why couldn't he be sure if that, why did he even feel the need to convince himself of that? He couldn't help but doubt when he saw people around him who could so very easily help him, even just direct him to a police station just sneer at him and skip past him as if he were some vermin. How had he gone his entire life blind to the struggle faced every day by thousands others. 

Why, why on gods earth did he choose that day not to verify the equipment like he always did. Why why hadn't he jumped first? It would have been so damn simple. So unbelievably easy, it made him want to scream and laugh at the irony that this was a simple wrong place wrong moment ordeal, or rather wrong wire. The unsettling question followed him like shadows, filling his mind with tidal waves of 'what if's?' What if he had spoken up when he saw the suspicious strangers confronting his pop Haley? What if he had spoken his incertitudes? He knew no one at the circus could have refused him. They would have gladly climbed all the way up to where to the ropes were held and examined them just to reassure the angelic little bundle of joy. 

It was so simple, this horrifying nightmare of a life could have been so easily avoided. It would have taken a simple sentence, and they could have carried on with their lives dismissing it as nothing more than a close-call. It would have been a lesson to always check equipment before performing, they would have scared his children telling horror stories of what almost happened to their grandparents that night. They would have gasped and hidden under their blankets while his mother smiled knowingly from the doorway as she always did to wish him good night. 

But he hadn't done any of that. He hadn't budged. 

Little did he know, this was a turning point for him in every, single, reality. It was the life-altering event put in motion by fate, destiny, call it what you will, whatever superior being up there had put it into stone. There could be only one flying Grayson. 

Frozen and soaked to the bone under the rain next to a dumpster in some alley with a drunk old bum knocked out a few feet afar, that was were he had finally realized his implication in this whole mess. 

Two deaths could have been prevented if it hadn't been for him, two innocents that had met their premature deaths could still be amongst the living had he spoken. They were dead because of his hesitation. 

Shaking from either the gravity of his epiphany or from the bone chilling cold, eyes puffy and red, head bowed, he broke the damn of tears and the thread of self control he had clung onto like a life-line. Pulling the roots of his hair, screaming in agony, screaming in desperation, screaming at whoever was in charge up there for watching this debacle before them and not have made any effort to stop what had been put in motion. Cursing them, him, his utter powerlessness, everything. Wailing and sobbing until he couldn't anymore, only stopping when his throat felt similar to a scratching post, voice alien to his own ears, weak and defeated.

"I killed them."

His loving, kind parents were dead because of him.  
The world spun and went sideways at the same time his head knocked the concrete ground but he honestly couldn't bring himself to care, even as his vision went swimming because why did it matter? He killed his parents. 

They're dead

YOU killed them

MURDERER

THEY'RE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU

YOU KILLED THEM

THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT

YOU KILLED THEM

KILLED

MURDERER

"I killed them." He whispered to the deafening silence that seemed to grow which each sound.  
Amplifying the sound of his heart beating in a frenzy about to burst out of his chest. He couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't think. Didn't want to. Don't wanna. Dn't wa'to. 

He could hear the screams of the crowd echoing in his ears, he could see the blood and broken bodies of his pears, limbs bending and twisting in ways they definitely shouldn't-ohgodpleaseohgodohgod even when his eyes squeeze shut he can't escaped the images that render him incapable of moving any further. The crying has subsided to silent sobs that racked his trembling body as tears continue to stream from his cerulean orbs, down his flushed cheeks, stinging from the cold like a slap to the face that persists like the lingering emotions swirling in his mind.

Every smiled they had given him, that he had taken for granted played in slow motion in his head. Up to the last one, the look of exhilaration on his mother's face morphing into fear, with her last breath she clung to his name, they stared at each other for the fraction of second they were suspended in the air, he had such gorgeous eyes, as if in slow motion, gravity slowly began to pull them down. Her deep, hazel green eyes never leaving him, her hand still outstretched as she realized that they were inches too far apart. Her pink lips slightly parted as she uttered her final parting word with as much sentiment as she could pass in her last words to her first and last child. Her beautiful gorgeous boy to who they had so many more things to teach, to guide through was starting at her in terror, his own hand outreached in a desperate effort to catch her, to catch them but alas Mary knew it would be in vain. She accepted their defeat, she was at peace with the world and she prayed their son would be too, her last word passing her lips almost in a prayer, a promise of sorts, that he would be okay.

"Dick."

Memories filtered through his mind and a chilling feeling began to fill his chest, it felt like death itself had curled its claws around his soul. Every laugh they had shared, gone forever. A kid shouldn't carry half the hatred that he did but for fucks sake he did. Good god did he hate, hate, hate. 

Richard's cries calmed to soft whimpers as his eyes felt heavier, when had the world become so cruel. How had he missed it.

Inevitably, his tired voice surrendered to the silence as the darkness curtained the edge of his vision, in a strange calmness rained over him that reminded him of the saying his father used to say, peace after the storm. Except it didn't feel like peace. It just felt...empty.

He was lulled to sleep by the beat of his heart although it was probably from the impact of his head against solid concrete combined with malnutrition that he faced on the streets. But that was his opinion anyway. So he listened to the soft thumps of his heart and the last thing he heard was a deep voice that he knew for sure didn't belong to anyone he knew, but none of the words reached his ears. He just closed his eyes and waited for the silence to clame him.

"The broken ones are always easier to control."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now again I ask you, with a certain billionaire and authorities looking for the lost, world-renounced acrobat, the very last Flying Grayson, someone like Jim Gordon would be the one to find him after days of search right? Or even just some citizen kind hearted enough to call the GCPD who is by the way being paid a LOT of money to find him? 
> 
> Guess again. 
> 
> The mercenary looming over poor Richard is none other than Deathstroke the terminator. Why? Patience, we'll get there eventually.


	2. Dilema

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penguin can be a real pain in the ass but alt least Renegade knows someone’ll always have his back.

Renegade blinked, wearily cracking his eyes open and yawned, propping himself onto his elbows and blinked the sleep away, turning his attention to the digital clock on his nightstand. The obnoxiously bright digits making him wince, shrunken pupils adapting to the sudden brightness. 

7:13 am. 

The boy groaned before he slowly sat up and stretched his arms above his head, strands of hair standing on the side in cow-licks, until he heard the 'pop' from his back and sighed exaggeratedly. He got up slowly and clumsily, rubbing the remaining drowsiness out of his eyes. 

The assassin walked to the drawers in front of his bed and picked a random combination of clothes, he wasn't feeling very picky today. Ending up with a green hoodie and pair of jeans in hand, he stumbled to the bathroom across from his room and nearly tripped over the crap he left on the floor of the auburn bedroom. Oh god he was not a morning person. 

He went through his morning routine fairly quickly and he made his way to the kitchen, feeling refreshed from his rejuvenating camomile-induced scented shower as he strode across the floor, light on his bare feet. It usually worked better when he was about to sleep though. Wonder why.

Ren crossed the doorframe and smiled when he saw the raven haired girl that was preparing scrambled eggs and toast. Her hair loose on her shoulders, a few stray strands sticking out every here and there, swaying as she moved about the large counters, browsing the spice drawer absentmindedly. Wearing nothing more than a light blue shirt three sizes too big that brushed her knees and a  pair of baggy, worn out, grey sweats that bunched at her equally bear feet, her eyebrows were lowered in an air of determination as she meticulously prepared scrambled eggs with toasted bread. If the coal-looking remnants in the garbage were anything to go by, she'd been at it for at least half an hour.  
Ren smirked. For the life of her, his little sister simply could not cook. Said sister was so concentrated on the task at hand that he didn't have any trouble sneaking behind her without giving away his presence, a grin displayed on his lips.  
At least, that's what he'd thought.  
He crept behind her slowly, the best way to alert anyone was too much too quickly, you got loud as shit as soon as you tried to pick up the pace, coming from the kid who tried to ambush every adult figure in his life including his 800 something year-old 'brother'. He was ready to leap in a sneak attack/hug when suddenly she spun around with the same grin mirroring his earlier expression that had since turned into surprise. She tackled him onto the ground and jabbed his sides mercilessly sitting on his stomach, smiling as he laughed breathlessly until she finally ceased her attack and let him catch his breath. 

"Amateur." She growled before they both erupted in a fit of laughter. They were identical, apart from...the gender..that is. Her eyes were the most beautiful gemstones he had ever seen, the same cerulean blue full of life and wonder that his were severely lacking but she compensated for them both.

"Mornin' Jewel." He giggled, accepting the hand she offered him before they completed their morning ritual with a tight hug, basking in the comfortable atmosphere before parting slowly which, as he did every morning, he took as his opportunity to start a dialogue.

"You're up early." It wasn't a reproach, although he would love for her to get her full eight fucking hours of sleep, he would pretty much be a hypocrite for reproaching her for doing the exact same thing he did every night which was staying up way after the bedtime established by the only adult that coexisted with them in the underground base. It kept them off the radar to be under the city being patrolled by some dude in tights and kevlar. Renegade took pride in being a feared assassin but that vigilante was not to be trifled with. It had taken him years to get over his phobia of the man after seeing brutally beating other criminals and even now his heart sped up at the thought of facing him.

"Yeah, I had a weird dream. You?" She passed a hand through her raven locks, attempting to tame the mane she had left untouched in favour of practicing her nonexistent cooking skills. "The fridge was empty so I went to buy some food." 

He sighed and the smile he previously had was replaced by a small frown. "You shouldn't have gone alone." His eyes narrowed slightly when she scoffed stubbornly. Yup, identical. "Why not! I'm not an infant! I can take care of myself you know!" 

The girl huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms across her chest and had it not been for the gravity of the situation he would have compared her to a toddler close to throwing a tantrum. He sighed before wrapping his arms around her waist in a hug ignoring the annoyed sound she made in return.  
"Sis, you're one if not the most important person in my life and I can count them all on one hand, you're like way up there you know? I don't I-I can't bare to lose you. A life without you isn't one worth living. I-I'd never forgive myself if something-" 

"Nothing and no one will take me away from you Ren." The girl cut him off, her voice firm but in a reassuring way that her brother knew cut off any argument. Jewel gave him a comforting smile before hugging him back, "Don't worry big brother, no one's gonna take us apart from each other ever again. I'll be here to kick your ass when you get into trouble."

"You wish pipsqueak." Ren missed the punch directed to his face, much to the irritation of his sister and to his utter delight.

"Is that a challenge? Because I totaly took you down in twelve seconds during our last spar." Jewel grinned before moving away from the hug. 

"As if! I went easy on you." The boy scoffed in a haughty voice, unable to hide his smirk. The two siblings chuckled before Ren's eyes met her own, slightly concerned. 

"Hey so you know those eggs you were making?"  
Jewel's eyes widened and she ran back to the oven were a bit of smoke was forming above the pan full of burnt eggs. She quickly closed the fire and moved it to the counter, all the while cursing. "Shit! Fucking eggs!" 

The assassin couldn't help but snicker and watch with amusement as she struggled to save the food she had so minutely prepared. After a few minutes of the two running around the kitchen, the table was set and they were both seated in the two only chairs in the room, eating burned eggs and black toast.  
In an effort to lighten the mood he casually started a conversation. Well...as casual as the guy could get.  
"So, nothing like burned food to start the day am I right?" He obtained the wanted result when a playful smile made its way onto her lips, 

"Screw you! I worked really hard on that food!" She grumbled in mock-annoyance though unable to hide the smile that crept on her face while her brother continued on. "I mean, you keep accusing me of poisoning our food but yours is-is just- it's just- it's godamnawful!"He laughed as a fork was thrown at him and dodged it easily, amused by the girl's childish reaction at such a simple provocation. He knew it was all in good fun but it was still amusing as hell.

"FUCK you Ren!" She yelled throwing any object that was in her reach at the boy who yelped and ducked under the wooden table, both cackling.  
Eventually they returned to their meal and ate in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence, the photographs covering the walls of the large kitchen in which they both competed continuously for the title of 'less shity cook' although it was known they were equally terrible. 

They were used to this kind of routine, it was just an ordinary thing they did every day, wake up, start a conversation, eat poisonous meals made by one another, insult each other half-heartedly and went about the day, rince and repeat.  
Sadly, this peaceful moment was interrupted as his phone started vibrating and rung loudly in his pocket. He groaned in annoyance and pulled it out and shot a glance at the screen. His eyes narrowed and he spat the first word that came to his mind. 

"Shit." On the screen the flashing name 'Penguin ' could be read. He brought it to his ear and greeted the man on the other side with false cheerfulness, already aware of the motive behind the call. 

"Penguin! My man what's up?!"  
"I gave you four hours to bring me the money kid, this is the last warning I'm giving you."  
"Dude! How was I supposed to know those diamonds were yours?! It's not like your henchmen wear a penguin on their shirt. And it's not my fault if Bats showed up! He always makes sure to ruin the fun for us! Come on man, can't we just forget about this?"  
"I had a buyer who was willing to pay big money for those kid, big money. Either you pay me back or I'll have my men set the score between us."  
Afraid much?  
"Listen, I don't have any money, but I can get you 2 grant by tonight, how's that?" Renegade lied.  
"Two?! You must be kidding?! I'm down ten because of your fiasco!"  
"Alright then how about 5? That sounds like a reasonable price." He tried to negotiate, the Penguin didn't pose too much of a threat to him, that's not what bothered him, what bothered him was that he was his number one business partner, if he became his enemy, it would be an important setback for him. 

"8!"  
"5's my last offer, take it or leave it. " Ren tensed at the silence that followed earning and inquiring eyebrow from the girl facing him but lowered when he explained with a look that it was one of those calls, but he smiled in relief when he heard the vilain sigh, he truly must be desperate then.

"Fine. Meet me at the usual drop-spot tonight. Alone."  
"Deal, but how can I guarantee you won't try something?"  
"After all we've been through you still don't trust me?"  
"It's a big city Penguin, " he bit back dryly, eyes narrowed. "We both know how far we can go to survive."  
"Fine, we both come alone, no weapons."  
Renegade smiled,  
"I'll see you tonight." He hung up and set the phone on the table before looking back at Jewel who was patiently waiting to be filled in, being his partner in crime and all.

"I'm gonna have to go out tonight." She narrowed her eyes but nodded. 

"Fine but I'm coming with." Her voice didn't leave room for argument. She was protective like that.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." His grin earned an eye roll but he didn't let up, in fact it only widened, she might act like it wasn't a big deal but they both knew otherwise. She gave a satisfied nod and finished the last bite of burnt food- god it was awful- left in her plate before bringing it to the sink.  
When she walked back to sit down she saw that the previously occupied seat was empty. The teenager sighed, discouraged when her eyes settled on the plate that was almost intact. She took it and set it on the counter before walking back to the armory to get changed. 

With ghost steps, Jewel lounged the hallway, halting before the third door at the very end of the passage. When opened, it looked like an average closet with a few towels for the bathroom and other various objects, she reached for the box of gel that was in the middle of the second shelf. Instead of pulling it towards her, she pushed it towards the wall and let go as it made a small sound as the hidden mechanism fell into place. She brought her hand back right before the box opened as two separate panels and revealed a print scanner. Her brother took every mesure to insure their security, years of paranoia did that to a person. Not that she was complaining, what was that saying? better safe than sorry? 

She placed her hand on the cold surface, only to pull it back when the artificial voice of the AI rang in her ears. 

"Recognized, Rebel. Ren's already waitin' for you boss."  
The entire closet slid into the wall revealing a hidden room that was about the size of a classroom, filled with weapons. Wasn't called the armoury for nothin'. Although this was but a safehouse, Renegade spared no expenses when it came to his guns. As soon as she stepped in a titanium door closed behind her as well as the closet that had repositioned itself to its original position. 

"You know you could have waited for me right?" The assassin blew a strand of hair out of her face and glared at her partner.

"Yeah but you know..." The girl's annoyance grew and she placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head sideways and kept her voice level. "No I don't know. Explain to me why you can't wait for me to change in our uniforms." 

"Well you girls always take an eternity to decide what you're gonna wear, oh I already wore that a year ago, oh that is sooo last month, I have to wear yellow because the sky is blue, high-heels? Which ones?!" He copied her voice almost perfectly, missing only a few pitches higher, and she felt a thin sheen of pink blossom on her ivory cheeks at how perfectly he imitated her.  "And then you see your Sapphire earrings and you change your whole outfit to match with them, I just thought I'd get out of here quick and wait outside." Renegade yelped playfully when she smacked his arm and headed towards the glass container in the end of the room in which her costume was at display. She gently placed her palm on the glass and it dissolved under her touch making a small hissing sound. 

As she started to undress, Renegade turned his attention elsewhere to give her some privacy, pinching his palm. They had discussed this already. 

"Done! Let's go kick some ass!" He turned to see her dawning her spandex suit. She had wanted to go for a more generic type but per his insistance, had allowed him to include the latest tech designed to protect her at all times from extreme condition and provide shielding, all without hindering her range of movement.

"Gladly." The boy grinned before turning to the wall displaying his weapons. His eyes fell onto the dagger section which was his weapon of favour, he grabbed two of the smooth pieces of metal and slid them in their respective compartments in his boots, opting to bring two handguns in a addition, just to be on the safe side. 

Screw Penguin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s about to get baaaaad.


	3. Dilema p

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penguin’s a real pain in the ass but at least Renegade knows someone’ll always have his back.

Contrary to her comrade, Rebel took no weapons with her, her own abilities covering that for the most part, opting to merely watch as Renegade loaded his guns and headed out of the safe-house together. They made their way through the base, strolling into the hidden elevator to the street level, exiting through the abandoned apartment block that served as cover. 

It was still early so they had the whole day to spend messing around. The pair hanging out together for the majority of the day always seemed to speed time up, they walked around the city, beat up a few thugs and before they knew it, the trade was only a few minutes away. The assassins wasted no time, abandoning the chili dogs they had purchased and made haste to the docks, their arranged meeting place, smoothly blending with the shadows advantaged by the dark colours of their uniforms. They were similarities to their suits to create confusion during battle, his outfit completely black with a giant 'R' stretching across his chest in red lettering completed with a black cape with red fabric on the inside draping his shoulders. Her was the same except for the cerulean blue that replaced the red touches. In the dark, the difference was practically nonexistent. She was his clone after all, until her feminine shapes became more accentuated they would be similar if not the same to the untrained eye.

They ran across the rooftops in synchronization, their feet moving soundlessly at the same speed, their figure almost identical at first glance, dancing in the shadows. They worked so well together, one could barely tell which they were fighting in the dark alleys of the city. It was of course an incredible asset for the pair, perfect harmony, but it also was a disadvantage. You couldn't just team up with a villain and be able to predict their position in a three second time-lapse, you had to be close, incredibly close to be able to pull that off and their enemies knew that. No surprise came when one was abducted and harmed to get to the other, they had of course learned in time to deal with it and prevent such things from happening. 

After a few short minutes of running, they both slowed to a stop before Renegade outstretched his arm in front of her. 

"Stay here, don't intervene unless I signal you okay?" Rebel huffed behind her domino mask which he honestly thought was adorable, and nodded. 

"Fine. Don't do anything stupid." She took a step backwards and practically disappeared in the shadows behind her but he knew she was still there waiting to jump in and help, he smiled warmly before jumping off the roof and onto the wooden dock. He knew she had his back. 

Renegade was pulled out of his thoughts as cackling resonated behind him, he gripped his guns in reflex but relaxed when he saw the crime lord standing before him. 

"Penguin." He greeted courteously with a small bow. 

"Renegade, right on time." The man mused before glaring at the sight of his gun holsters. "I see you broke our deal."

"For...insurance?" Ren smiled sheepishly 

"I'm glad you feel that way because I had the exact same thought." Penguin smirked before stepping back, armed men appearing out of nowhere in his vision. Renegade frowned and took a step back, about fifty goons had surrounded them both, Penguin cackling at the face the ebony made.

"Did you really expect me to meet you without backup?" The crook cackled at the glare the boy sent his way. To the older villain's confusion, instead of an angry retort of some kind the boy merely smiled and stood aside revealing that girl that followed him around, standing behind him glaring daggers through his skull.

"Course not." The both laughed before simultaneously jumping into action. Renegade lept forward and struck him landing a solid hit to his jaw, making him stumble backwards and curse. 

"Kill those brats!" The young boy tried to follow him but his path was obstructed by his men that were aiming at him with charged weapons, he ducked and rolled to the side, taking cover behind a wall, returning fire blindly hitting a few. Missing a bullet right in time he waited for them to recharge and leapt out of his hiding spot, right before they went for another round he yelled to Rebel over his shoulder.

"You take care of them while I go after Penguin!" The boy put some distance between himself and the row of men aiming poorly at the rapid figure, taking out the lot of them by throwing a few explosives in their direction. 

"On it!" His partner shouted over the gunfire.

Rebel disappeared into the crowd of attackers that had formed and started fighting them relentlessly, striking them so quickly they didn't have the chance to react. She flipped one over her shoulder snapping his arm, calculating how many seconds it would take for the one to her left to reload his guns and in which direction she had to move in that time gap to dodge the bullets. It was quite incredible to watch knowing she had no superspeed of any sort, with only her mind she could anticipate where they were all going to be in the next five seconds. She grinned, this was a piece of cake, she wouldn't even need the use of her powers, they would all be defeated in a matter of minutes. 

Renegade watched as she took ten out without braking a sweat admiring her for a fraction of seconds before chasing the Penguin who, quite stupidly cornered himself in a dead end, like seriously? How much easier could he make it?! 

"Listen Penguin, buddy boy, o'l pal, we made a deal and we've been partners for a long time. Do you really want it to end because I brought along a weapon while you brought dozen of armed men against me? Right now I should be the one pissed and if I'm being honest, I am making incredible efforts not to kill you right now." 

At that, the older villain gulped and backed up against the wall holding his umbrella towards him with an unsteady hand. "You won't kill me, you need me!" The man growled. 

Renegade laughed darkly which made the criminal swallow in fear, "Don't flatter yourself old man. I only worked with you because I wanted good quality, if I have to find a more expensive alternative, money won't be a problem, trust me." He said quietly, his voice turning dark. He usually killed scum like this for fun.

"You don't understand brat! The guy who wanted those diamonds payed a lot of money and wants them by tomorrow unless I pay him back the original price!" 

He was about to throw him a retort when he felt a gun be pressed against the back of his head. Ugh. He glared at the Penguin who was grinning maliciously and limped towards him. 

"You were stalling." He sighed at his stupidity, it was pretty obvious now that he reviewed the whole thing in his head, when did the criminal lead him away from his army of men waiting to shoot him with a snap of his fingers? Yeah exactly.

"That's right punk." The villain smirked and grabbed a firearm from the goon keeping a gun pointed at his face.

"Well that's not a very nice thing to do! Especially to your BESTIE! How could you do this to me?! After all we've been through together!" He said throwing his hand against his forehead dramatically before pretending to break down in tears. 

"Give me your money and I'll let you go."

"EXCUSE YOU?! Please repeat that sentence for me I must have misheard. You want me to hand over my money after the shit you just pulled on me?! I don't think so!" The boy sassily snapped his fingers in the air, cocking his hips. 

"Listen, you're a cool kid, it doesn't have to end like this." 

"Don't change the subject and think I'm gonna forget! I think we need a break, no you know what?! It's over! I'm breaking up with you! I deserve better than you!" He cried exaggeratedly before turning away with his arms crossed.

He caught Penguin looking at him annoyed and slightly confused before shrugging his shoulders and pointing his gun at him. 

"Have it your way then." Right as he was about to pull the trigger, a figure knocked the weapon out of his hand and quickly took the last crooks behind him, all the while Renegade smiled at the incredulous look on the older male's face, his arms still crossed. He will have it his way thank you very much. As the last man fell, Rebel stepped out of the shadows and stood next to her partner standing silently as he spoke up, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen onto her face. 

"Well I gave you a chance, we could have been all good but I guess you just weren't interested." Penguin scrambled to his feet, face red as he cursed him. "You kids have no idea who you're dealing with! I don't know who that girl is or why you dragged her into this Renegade, but mark my words! You're going to regret it soon enough!"

The assassin's smile widened as he raised his gun and aimed at him.

"Threatening my partner Pengy? It's like you want me to put lead in your head. Hah! I rhymed!" 

His finger was about to pull the trigger when he felt a change in the air. Without thought he pushed Rebel into the shadows who almost fell backwards but luckily regained her balance. She was about to yell at him but her mouth shut when a dark figure fell where she had been previously standing. 

"Well look who showed up to join the party!"  
The boy exclaimed, diverting the figure's attention on him.

"Hey wait a minute! I didn't invite you!"  
Then mercenary yelled pretending to look mildly confused.

"Sorry but bats aren't aloud so-" He raised his hands in a swatting motion. 

"Get lost!" 

Batman glared at him, god, glaring that much could not be healthy. His fists clenched at his sides as he stepped towards the assassin, body tense and at the ready, man did he look pissed.

'Wait what? Shitshitshitwhyishepissed?' The young killer screamed inwardly, even if he had managed to get away from Batman on multiple occasions and live to tell the tale, he was waaay dangerous. Like must avoid an never approach under any circumstances dangerous. It was safe to say, he was in an elephant shitload of trouble which was doubly confirmed when the vigilante growled at him in his grovelling voice, eyes, or rather slits narrowed, chin jutted.

"Renegade, I told you the last time we met that if you continued to kill I would have no choice to take you in. You're young, I gave you one last chance to go back to your family, to live your life."

"Okay first off!" The boy said slightly panicking inside, raising his hands and taking a step back, 

"I didn't kill anyone, all those guys were alive right?! AND-" he said cutting the Dark Knight who was about to speak.

"It's kind of hard to go back to your family when all of your relatives are dead don't you agree?" Again he cut him off taking another step back, thank god he pushed Rebel out of the way, this guy would not be happy to learn he had brought another kid into this mess. 

"Plus! I was just having a friendly chat with my good friend Penguin!" He said turning around only to find the previously occupied spot empty. Obviously.

"Correction, my missing friend Penguin." He was about to cut him off again when Batman approached him looking majorly annoyed this time cutting off the experienced assassin.

"Renegade, as I was about to say," He glared, daring him to interrupt, before continuing, taking multiple steps towards him and holly hell he was in trouble.

"Yes, they were all alive, unlike a victim I found two days ago that had been shot from a long distance. Unfortunately for you, you did not take the time to terminate eye witnesses which I easily convinced to tell me you had been spotted as the man behind the handle of the sniper that had been used to execute him. You broke our deal." 

"Shit, well, you caught me!" Renegade said raising his hands in surrender, one holding a small device. Right before pressing the button on the small object, he looked in the direction of where his partner was standing silently and in the blink of an eye, Batman was surrounded by dark clouds of smoke, blinding him for a few seconds. Fortunately, the pair only needed five to get out of his eyesight and make a run-for-it. 

"Oh my gosh that was close!" They both laughed. He laughed with her but couldn't shake the fear and adrenaline of his sister almost being seen by the Dark Knight, looking over his shoulder to see if they were being followed. At first, they didn't directly go back to the base in case he had trackers on him but after half an hour of misdirecting they had head back. 

By the time they got home, the two siblings were completely exhausted and both collapsed on the leather couch in the spacious living area, not a bother in the world for the spandex costumes that had yet to be removed, huddled together to keep warm. Renegade's arms wrapped around her waist, she was tucked under his chin, wrapping her arms around his chest soon being lulled to sleep, eyes heavy. 

Renegade lay still as her breathing slowed to a regular pace and simply listened to her. He didn't know why but it had a calming effect on him, like nothing could happen to him. To them.

____

Meanwhile, elsewhere, 

The batmobile drove loudly into the dark cave and an old man approached it as the roaring engines died down. Batman jumped out of the car and walked towards the computer before starting to furiously typing at an unrealistic speed, enraged that he had been evaded yet again by the childish killer. The elderly man that made his way next to him place a hand on his shoulder.

"Rough night master Bruce?"

"I had Renegade cornered, right where I wanted him and he still managed to get away without a trace. Every time I manage to catch up with him, he slips between my fingers. I don't know how he does it but he escapes every single time." The vigilante took off his cowl, revealing a raven mop of hair. He passed a hand through the unruly locks in an effort to arrange his cowl haircut, sighing heavily.

"You've been chasing this boy for years master Bruce, perhaps it is time to seek help, turn to a more unconventional approach." Bruce removed his gauntlets, throwing them on the keyboard and dug the palm of his hands into his eyes, hoping to dull the migraine that had appeared after the hours of fruitless search he had lead across the city. As much as he hated to admit it, he wouldn't catch the child alone. That boy, something just didn't sit right with him. He was an exceptionally good fighter, enough that he would give him broken ribs and a few bruises during their few encounters, he covered his tracks, there was no camera feed of him whatsoever, never any witnesses left at a crime scene, only pictures caught in daylight. As childish as he behaved, this...boy was not an amateur. He was an experienced assassin and he had underestimated him for far too long.

"Perhaps it is Alfred."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So short I know but I hope to make them longer in the future, we're kind of just discovering the dynamic shall we say? I don't really know how to write a good story but the plot is all figured out so no worries!


	4. First glance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally figured he’d be taller. Artemis is endlessly amused every time the speedster embarrasses himself in fromt of the bat.

Renegade woke up to the harsh slap of cold on his face ad a sharp pain in close to his chest. Urgh-what the hell? The assassin measured his breaths, trying to recall what the everloving fuck was going on and he groaned when it all came back to him. 

Penguin had shot him. Crazy right? Well no so crazy when he felt the acute pain led by the smallest movement. With much effort that he honestly would much rather not be giving, he cracked his eyes open and feeling slowly started to return to his numb body. The rain thundering down on his skin mixed with the blood flowing from his wounded shoulder made him wince, full blown infections were a bitch to treat and he had no idea how long he'd been out. Not to mention the bullet was still in there, making it impossibly harder for him to stay conscious in his weakened state. 

The boy blinked, clearing away the dark spots that had begun to plague his vision and with incredible difficulty, rolled to his side, almost puking from the wave of pain that the sudden movement caused to wash over his shoulder. 

Ren took a few shaky breaths, blinking away the blurriness and pushed himself up from the ground with his undamaged arm, slowly getting to his feet. Squinting his eyes to see, he could barely make out the five blurry figures walking towards him. Perfect fucking timing, there was no way he was winning a fight in this state. Suddenly, there was a loud ringing in his ears that made him gasp and clutch his head. Trembling he took a step backwards, struggling to make out the words that were being addressed to him.

"-t's a kid." 

" Re-gade yo-re hurt-help you."

Ren gasped when pain erupted in the back of his head.

"W-what?" His voice sounded strangely distant, far away and all strength left his being. The voices spoke again but he couldn't hear what they were saying. He swayed where he stood before he fell forward into the sweet abyss of silence, his eyelids fluttering closed under his mask.

The boy felt a breeze stroke his face which was weird because he was sure the forecast said rain not wind but he couldn't bring himself to care, he was shot here people! Give the guy a break already. The last thing the assassin remembered was curling against something warm, a small thudding sound filling his hears while he fell into the painless world of unconsciousness.

 

____

 

[Two hours prior]

"Team, mission briefing 5 minutes."

Wally stopped dead in his tracks, returning the arrow quiver he had been keeping out of reach from the archer it belonged too and gulped, hoping Batman wouldn't chew him out too badly but to his surprise the hero strode right past them. He sighed in relief and 'oofed' when Artemis hit him in the gut, apologizing with a sheepish smile before he ran to his room, nearly tripping over his stuff in his rush to put on his costume. They hadn't had a mission in weeks, he'll be damned if he missed this one, civilian life was soooo boring. 

Zipping through the hallways, he joined the team and frowned annoyed at being the last one again. Hadn't Kaldur'ahm been on the beach like a minute ago? What gives?! He felt his face heat up when their attention and willed the embarrassment to go away when Artemis smirked at him. He glared but otherwise held his tongue. Batman nodded at him in acknowledgment before turning to the holographic images that had appeared in front of them. 

"You've been called here to help me capture a criminal that has enraptured the League’s attention known as Renegade." Kid Flash's eyes widened at this revelation."Wait we're gonna go on a mission, with you?" Batman glared at him and he felt his face flush again as he heard Artemis snickering quietly. 

"Yes, you are going to aid me in his capture. As I was saying, he is armed and dangerous, he will not hesitate to harm you and is to be dealt with extreme caution." The team shifted, uneasy. Sounded like this guy was the real deal. Yet again, if Batman of a people needed their help than he was definitely not to be trifled with.  
A picture appeared on the screen and the teenage heroes were taken aback by what they saw. A small figure, no older than twelve, his face hidden under the hood of his cape for the exception of the toothy grin that dawned his lips.

"This is the most recent capture taken in-"

"Wait, you're joking right? That kid's like twelve!" The red head exclaimed, interrupting the Dark Night a second time. He was silenced immediately by the glare thrown his way and he swallowed nervously, what was it with him and interrupting people?

"As I said, he is an assassin responsible for over 30 reported murders of figures at power, rapists, murderers, children and women abusers. All victims brutally tortured and killed and in some cases beyond recognition." The vigilante growled, annoyed at being interrupted continuously.

"It sounds like he's doing our job." The team's attention snapped to the blonde with shocked eyes. She stared at them confused and looked back at the screen, the most gruesome cases on display. She didn't think it was right, the way he killed them but there was a small part of her that understood his intentions. From the looks of it, this guy felt the same way they did about crime and just went about it in a more...extreme fashion.

"What? He's taking care of criminals just like us."

"There is a fine line between justice and murder." They barely held back the flinch at the dark tone his voice had taken as he ground out the words. This day just keeps getting better and better didn'it.

"Are there any more questions?" The man growled, effectively scaring them into silence.

"How are we going to find him?" Kid Flash hesitated to state the obvious, they had pissed him off that was for certain. 

"Which brings me to the next point. There have been multiple sightings of him in Gotham, I've put the exact coordinates in this device. You can base your search off these points." He answered sharply, handing the device over to Aqualad who took it wordlessly in the palm of his hand, examining it thoroughly. The said atlantean nodded before the vigilante turned around with a swish of his cape, leaving the team of young heroes to capture the mercenary that had evaded him for years. He was already beginning to regret his decision.

"Team, get to the bio-ship. We are leaving for Gotham." Aqualad said, turning towards them.

"Gee you don't say." Wally mumbled. The blonde archer smacked the ginger behind them head, glaring at him. "Ow! What the heck?!"

"My friends, now is not the time, please cease your pleasantries." The speedster glared at her and ran to the ship as the small group followed close behind. The trip to the dark city was unnaturally quiet , the mutual anxiety filling the cramped spaceship. They sat quietly lost to their own thought when the silence was broken as Wally spoke up to them, having become confused about something."Who do you suppose this Renegade character is? Batman didn't really give us any concrete information about him. Just that he's dangerous, but how did a kid become so much of a threat that Batman allowed us into his city?" The teens thought for a minute, silently searching for an answer to his question. He was right, they knew nothing about him, which was kind of odd because Batman always gave them details about their targets and much less did he ever allow other vigilantes in his city. It was a known fact amongst the superhero community. Kaldur was the one to answer him.

"Whoever he might be, he is a criminal that must be dealt with. He was given multiple chances to retreat from a life of crime but ignored them all." The answer left the speedster unsatisfied but he nodded absentmindedly, looking outside as they neared the dark and gloomy city. It looked like sharp pieces of glass had stabbed through the clear water, the skyscrapers resembling needles. 

"I guess."

 

____

 

[Meanwhile, elsewhere]

Needless to say that after the incident pulled on the Penguin, Renegade had to watch his back for the vengeful villain. Obviously, Jewel was the first to make the remark and for the next days, she went everywhere with him. She followed him like a shadow, watching anyone that approached him, but after a long day of hanging downtown and seeing how many watches they could steal without getting caught and terrorizing thugs, they were both extinguished, so as soon as they got back to their base, they dropped all the precious golden jewelry they had stolen next to the door and collapsed on the sofa in front of the fire before falling asleep huddled together, the soft heat of the flames liking their skin. Why did they even bother purchasing separate beds when they always ended up sleeping on each other? After a few hours though, Renegade startled to life, grabbing a blanket and covering his sleeping sister before climbing into the elevator. Once outside, he turned around to check if the camouflaging devices were still working and maintaining the image of an abandoned and rotting apartment block in ruins before heading out for a much needed midnight stroll. Rebel would kill him in the morning for going out without her but he shrugged it off. He needed to stretch his legs and she needed to sleep, she was one cranky toddler when she didn't get her beauty sleep. Hah, rhymed.

Renegade started walking in the streets, received occasional glances from the civilians that weren't too high or drunk to see three feet ahead so he grappled on the roof of an apartment and smiled, remembering the tune from the mall they had spent the day in. It had been so annoying they had laughed about it, imitating the melody. He started humming the tune while running at full speed, jumping and twisting gracefully mid-air, thinking about the events of his week. Mainly, the lottery ticket he'd procured himself and the fight he had with Mr. Penguini. It was really a shame to ruin such a long lasting partnership for such dumb reasons and it upset him quite a bit but he just shrugged his shoulders, he would find someone even better to sell him weapons. It wouldn't be too hard. With the titanesque amount of money he had accumulated, every other villain was practically begging for an opportunity to join the legendarly handsome assassin. He was well known in the streets, probably because of the safe heaven he had built for villains. Well not just him, but he was the one who originally thought of the idea. Back when he was a kid, freshly trained and naive, not as much as a normal kid but still a bit naive, just a tiny itsy wittsy wittle bit naive. He got sick of running and decided to built a safe place for villains and ex-criminals looking for a safe place to spend the night. While he skipped on the roof of an abandoned apartment, he sighed. It had been a while since he'd been there. He mentally took note to go there during the week. If he was lucky enough, he would see Selina and the Gotham Sirens. He longed to see the thief that had taken him under her wing, teaching him the art of thievery and taking a special place in his broken little heart. To hear their long and exciting stories again. The boy grinned just thinking about the pranks he and Harley would play on everyone but suddenly his vision wavered and he grunted, bringing his hand to the painful area of his neck and slowly pulled out a needle, examining it before falling off the edge in the alley bellow. Luckily it wasn't too far down and he managed to reduce the impact by landing on his shoulder but his head took a nasty hit that left him reeling, his vision swimming. He rolled to the side, now panting and sweat forming on his forehead, feeling the full effects of whatever he had been drugged with, only to get the air knocked out of him as a hard kick was delivered to his gut, the force pushing him a few feet away. He groaned, looking at his assailant only to see the very person he was avoiding. Completely out of breath he smiled at him through the blinding pain.

"Speak of the devil."

"I told you I'd even the score. This time Batman isn't going to save you." Penguin smirked down at him. He laughed, holding his stomach while he struggled to stand, using the wall next to him for support.

"Bats? Save me? More like the other way around."

"Goodbye kid." Penguin spoke dryly paying no attention to his mumbling, he wouldn't be tricked twice. The villain aimed at him with a gun that glimmered under the first rays of sunlight. With a 'click' the safety was removed and he was about to pull the trigger when Renegade took a deep breath, shutting his eyes, ignoring the flaring pain from his left side when he kicked him in the stomach, making him lose balance and stumble backwards.  
The sudden movement made the boy hiss in pain but he ignored it and turned to run in the opposite direction, if he was lucky he could make the turn and miss the bullets, he was running as fast as the dizziness would allow him when he felt pain explode in his shoulder while the sound of a gunshot ran through the air. He cried out in pain and stumbled against the wall, leaning heavily to stand, already weakened by the drug running in his system. If Jewel didn't kill him for this, Chris definitely would. He could already imagine the disappointment on his brother figure's face, caramel skin and hazel green eyes outlined with worry and anger. He tried to move, to get out of there but he was completely drained, using all the energy he had left to keep himself from crumbling to the dirty ground, covered in a few stains of dried blood. After the mere seconds of recuperation he was punched in the stomach so hard he fell to his knees, holding the newly pained area with his hands, exhaling sharply through his nose.

"If it's about the breakup we can talk about it."

"Goodbye Renegade." The crook said while raising the gun to his temple.

While he waited for him to end him, the young mercenary couldn't help but think, 'So this is how I die? I took out an army with my hands tied behind my back and fought with the most powerful villains of the world, I'm Deathstroke's apprentice and I'm going to be murdered by the Penguin? What a way to go.'

'My thoughts exactly.'

'Ugh, why are you here? I was getting used to the silence.'

'Why thank you, I missed you too.'

Renegade shut his eyes and braced himself, he definitely had a concussion so running was a no-go, his arm was blazing like hell and he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open. This looked like the end, a gun to his head, at least he would be dead instantly, a quick death. He could settle for that. 

The bullet never came. 

After a few seconds he thought the criminal was probably having second thoughts but when he looked up, no one was there. His eyes darted around but all he saw was the gun that lay in front of him, where Penguin had previously been standing. 

The hell? He tried to stand but it felt like his body now weighed tons, he couldn't move a finger and his knees finally he gave out under the pressure as he fell semi-conscious against the rough stone ground under him. What the hell had Penguins injected him with?

A few drops of rain started falling as he closed his eyes and let himself sink in the black ink that pooled his vision. Hah, rhymed again.

 

____

 

[Present ]

Kid Flash stared surprise when the young mercenary curled against his chest, breaths pained and short. This kid was a killer? He stared at him a bit unsure as to how to proceed, looking around the empty alley when something caught his eye. 

A gun. Right next to where the team had found him before he collapsed. He looked back down and felt a wave of uneasiness settle inside him. He got to his feet, holding the younger boy carefully as he made his way to the ship. Superboy took his charge and they all short of rushed to the safety of the bio-ship, unsettled by the bloody scene. 

A streak of yellow past them and sat at its designated spot, watching curious as they lay the injured boy on the makeshift bed next to him and watched as his chest rose at a painfully slow pace. 

So this was Renegade. He felt relief that they could finally leave the gloomy city and to the safety of the cave though the unease he felt wouldn't leave. 

Little did he know, it was only the beginning.


	5. Obviously

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren’s getting real sick of waking up in random places

Renegade woke up to the cold and smooth surface his head was resting on, he opened his eyes but shut them immediately at the intense light that only amplified the migraine hammering his skull. He was really getting sick of waking up in strange places. Like come on, was waking up in his bed too much to ask for? He lift his head, pulling himself into a sitting position, letting out a small moan of pain as he moved his wounded shoulder and tried to shield his eyes but felt something keeping his hands from reaching his face. He had to squint them to see, the lenses of his mask turning into white lines and saw a pair of handcuffs connected to the metal table he was sitting at, attached to his wrists. 

Fan-fucking-tastic. Just what he loved to see when he regained consciousness.  
He stirred in his seat, confusedly examining the white room he had apparently been confined to, there was a huge mirror that garnished the painted wall behind him, he looked at his reflection for a few seconds before turning his back to it, the walls weren't the ones covered in blood that he had pictured from Arkham Asylum which made him breathe out in relief, he got comfortable in his seat, not doubting that he would be there for a while and tried to recall what had happened but found himself even more confused when nothing came to his mind. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and concentrated, trying to recall how the hell he got here. The lenses of his mask mid opened, his eyebrows knitted in confusion, he remembered...pain a lot of it, everywhere. He remembered falling on the ground in the rain that pearled down his skin, mixing with the crimson blood that flowed from his wound. His eyes shot open when he remembered at once. He had been shot by-that piece of shit. Just the thought that that slimy, manipulating bastard had played so unfair made him slam his fist on the metal table in frustration. How could he have let Penguin play him so easily? Like some fucking amateur!

Unbeknownst to him, the League that was watching him from behind the one-way glass tensed at his sudden movement and held their breath not wanting to capture the assassin's attention. Renegade moaned in pain again, instantly regretting his choice, quickly pulling his pale arm back, clutching his shoulder, when he felt the wound of his shoulder that had been... stitched? Re-open. That was weird why would anyone capture him and treat his wounds? Usually egocentric idiots who thought they were hot shit and tried to intimidate him. He was mentally groaning when his thoughts were cut short and he jumped in his seat when out of nowhere, a door slid sideways revealing the caped crusader he had escaped from the previous day walking in the room and taking a seat at the table, the door closing behind him and disappearing as if it'd never been there. A little heads up next time please? Thank you.The boy groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I must be in hell." 

"Renegade."

"Yes lord satan? Is it my time already? You'll find that I have been a loyal servant on my time on earth so could we loose the shackles plea-"

"Renegade." Batman growled, patience long since worn out. 

"That's my name don't wear it out." Said mercenary drawled, voice flat. What did this guy want with him? 

"I'm here to-"

"What come here to gloat about my capture? I bet you and your buddies over there are gosh darn proud of yourselves huh?" The thirteen year old spat, pointing at the glass. 

"How did yo-"

"What, do tell, did you expect? I was trained by Deathstroke." Ren imagined the faces of the leaguers watching, especially Superman, his jaw hanging. He cackled when he saw the dark knights expression flicker for a second. 

"You were raised by the mercenary Deathstroke the terminator?"

"No the dancer, of course the god damn mercenary!" 

"Where is he now?" Ren grinned and leaned back in his chair.

"So why are you here then?" The boy ignored his last question.

"I'm here to ask you questions."

"Like why is the sky blue? Or why you go out at night dressed up like a bat?" 

"No. Questions about you, your identity."

"Let's pretend that's not creepy at all, why would I give you this information exactly?" 

"It’s simple. Either you answer my questions, or I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your youth locked up in Belle Reve Penitentiary." 

The boy unwillingly tensed and took a few seconds to think to himself. 'Ok, that was a very low move. Let's see, BelleReve can't be that bad right? '

'Yes I'm sure that's why all the greatest villains are sent there. You should be flattered.'

'Who am I kidding, I don't have a choice if I don't want Jewel to think I'm dead and Chris to go crazy looking for me. Bats, you are so on my next kill list. Speaking of Jewel, she must be awake looking for me now. I'm in a tight spot.'

'You don't say.'

"Before I do anything, may I ask a favour of you?"

"That depends, what kind of favour?"

The entire room tensed as the boy thought for a second, 

"Could you tell me the time?" At first the vigilante stared at him, searching for whether he was joking or not but when he saw the boy looking at him expectantly, he realized that he was in fact quite serious. 

"It's exactly six thirty seven in the morning Gotham time. Why?"

"No reason. So, you said you had questions for me?" He asked nonchalantly while crossing his feet on the table. Jewel would wake up in about two hours, soon his entire family would be looking for him. Renegade received an annoyed look which only amused him further, this would be fun. 

"You say you were raised by Deathstroke?" A loud sigh ran through the air and he sat properly, his smile falling instantly, Batman immediately taking note of this change. 

"Like I said before, I was trained by Deathstroke. It's all a blur but I distinctly remember wandering in the streets. I had probably been on my own for a while because I passed out." He counted, slightly uncomfortable talking about this event. He ignored it and pinched his palm, putting on the best facade he could manage but couldn't keep himself from fidgeting at the cool and collected look he received from the man sitting in front of him.

"Well, next thing I know, I have a master to whom I must obey. Of course, being the ignorant stupid child I was, I resisted fiercely which was probably the dumbest move I could have played because when he saw my-my... how do I put this?" He seemed to search for a word his eyebrows lowering as he thought.

"My... motivation"

"It made you the perfect candidate to be his apprentice."

At first he was a bit surprised the man had caught on so quickly but the raven haired boy grinned and pointed a finger at him.

"Bingo." Sharp intakes of breath resonated behind the glass on the wall, he was Deathstroke's apprentice.

"Are you loyal to him?" Everyone listening visibly tensed, the thick silence that had installed itself becoming unbearable to endure, but quickly they found themselves intrigued as the boy started laughing so loudly he was shaking, after a few seconds he giggled wiping away invisible tears from his mask.

"Ha! Did you honestly believe, for a single second, that I-" The boy gestured to himself with his cuffed hands. "Would ever be loyal to the murderer that, kidnapped, brainwashed, beat and tortured me into his perfect apprentice for years? Honestly?" He asked incredulously.

When he was met with silence.

"Didn't think so." He glared at him with a more serious tone in his voice, "Any other fantastic questions for me?"

"What is your name?"

"What, you didn't take my mask off while I was out?" When he received nothing but a stern look, from the assassin hummed, the truth was that he knew he hadn't removed the mask because he was the one who made it. It was specifically designed so that no one but himself could remove it, you had to be batshit crazy (pun intended) if you were gonna run around town with some cheap Dollarama mask when you knew Batman was around. Adieu liberté.

"You surprise me Batman. Well of you must know my true name is, Renegade."

"What is your real name, what is your true identity?"

"What is your true identity Batman? Lemme guess...Max? Brudy?  
Barry Allen? Hal Jordan? J’onn J’onzz? Kal El? Bruce Wayne?"

This time, true silence reigned. No one dared move, no one dared breathe. And Renegade became the first to see what a speechless Batman looked like.

"Ooh!" The ebony got up and leaned over the table staring at the man dead in the eye, loving the fact that he had stirred such a reaction. 

"Lucky guess?" 

They stared at each other for a few seconds before the built man got up and promptly left the room to join his colleagues to discuss the situation they were in. Leaving behind the grinning boy at the table who fell back in his seat his hands behind his head while humming the tune that was stuck in his head.

 

____

 

 

"Well we can't send him to jail that's for sure!"

"Hal, screaming isn't going to fix this."

"Superman is right, we have to think through this rationally."

"Thank you Canary."

The mighty Justice League had been reduced to a group of panicked and yelling children, arguing about the next course of action to take, they couldn't do just anything. After all, this wasn't just anyone.  
Superman sat at the end of the founders table, thinking of a solution before he spoke loudly grabbing their attention.

"We can't send him to jail, there he could easily give away our identities which is not an option but we can't just let him go either, he is a criminal that has been tracked by the League for months." He added the last part looking towards the brooding bat that sat his arms crossed on his chest, watching annoyedly the others arguing who nodded slightly at him. The kryptonian leaned on the table bringing his hands together eying each one of them letting his words sink in.

"What do you suggest?" A long silence installed itself among them as they stopped to actually think which ended up being unnecessary as the answer had already been found.

"Keep him." A few seconds passed before everyone at the table was turned around to look at Batman with bewildered looks on their faces, Wonder Woman standing from her seat placing her hands on the table. 

"What." The Amazon hissed at him with a glare, her hands finding a tight grip on the table. 

"You suggest we harbour a criminal, a killer in the midst of our base of operations?"

"We can't imprison him, neither can we release him. The obvious solution is to keep him in JL custody."  
Before anyone had the chance to say a single word, he stood up and left the room, his dark cape swishing behind him as he made his way to the zeta-beams silently. They could figure out what to do next without him. There was crime in Gotham that couldn't wait any longer.

 

____

 

 

Back in the room, Renegade sat staring at the door, absentmindedly playing with his fingers as he thought about good pick up lines. He giggled to himself and sighed, this was taking longer than he had anticipated. He was good at countless things, he had incredible skills that other people only dreamed of having, killer good looks and an ass people would kill for but if there was one thing that he was not good at, it was waiting. He'd often jump out of his hiding spot during stake-outs just to get some action. Yep, not patient one bit.  
When the door finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, finally opened, he didn't waste a second to antagonize whoever had stepped in the room. 

"Well look who decided to show up. You know I could have broken out of here, assumed a new identity, started a gang, seen the error in my ways, dedicated myself to good and you still wouldn't be here!" He paused for a second when he realized the person standing at the door was not Batman, in fact, it was the polar opposite of Batman. 

"Superman? What are you doing here?" The hero walked towards him, freeing him from his metal restraints while explaining to him calmly the reason of his presence,

"I'm here to accompany you to your..temporary living quarters." Renegade froze. 

"Wait a minute, You're not putting me in Belle Reve?" The boy exclaimed with a hint of disappointment. How the hell was he supposed to escape now?! At least the other villains there were all buddy-buddy with him. Not to mention the guards that could easily be paid off.

'Guess it just means you won't.'

"Would you rather we sent you there?" The Kryptonian asked perplexed. That was not the response he had expected. Some cursing, obnoxious rude remarks, but disappointment? He did not see that coming.

"Honestly? Yeah. At least there I wouldn't have to hear your stupid moral codes 24/7." By now they were both making their way through the hallways of the orbiting fortress. 

"The league has agreed to keep you in it's custody for the time being." The mercenary frowned, showing his obvious distaste towards his situation which was quickly noticed.

"It is of course a temporary arrangement."

"Yeah Yeah whatever, didn't you have to bring me to my cell or something?" He said shooing the subject off with his hand.

"Uh yes, we're here." The alien responded, quickly moving aside to reveal the fortified door that lead to his 'prison cell'. The leaguer placed his hand on a scanning surface near the frame, it quickly recognized the print and the door slid open. He blinked and stared confused at the contents of the room. He then frowned and turned his head to look at him straight in the eyes. 

"Is this a joke?"

Superman looked down at him equally confused and answered unsure. "No?"

The mercenary looked back at the room, "What kind of cell is this?!" He sighed exasperated, holding his arms out. "You're supposed to be intimidating! How in fucks name are you supposed to scare your prisoners if you give them a bed?!"

"We thought you might...appreciate..it?" 

He tisked at him shaking his head as he walked towards the bed and lay down. "Heroes these days, you guys don't bother to do anything correctly anymore. Except Batman. He's old school." He put his hands under his head and stared at the wall , trying to figure out a new way to escape. Silence rained for a few seconds before he sat up and spoke this time not needing to force an annoyed tone.

"How much longer are you going to stand there and stare at me? You're starting to get really fucking cryptic you know."At that, the adult scrambled out of the room, the door closing moments later. He lay back down, his eyes returning to the ceiling, his mind wandering to how the fuck he was going to get off of this floating hunk of metal.


	6. Are you kidding me

Renegade lay still on the mattress his hands resting underneath his head as he glared at the ceiling, perhaps if he stared long enough it would melt. He imagined two holes, red hot showing the surprised faces of the residents on the next level but he resigned quickly knowing that nothing would happen. 

Sighing for the fourth time, he surrendered himself to the silence. His skin was beginning to itch from wearing the mask too long and made him twitch in discomfort. He wanted nothing more than to rip the thing off his face and rub his tired blue eyes but he knew that would just throw him into more trouble, not that he cared, if it affected the heroes negatively then he would totally be down for trouble right now, but even that didn't manage to cheer him up. 

Renegade looked around the room once more, he had spent the near 2 hours after he'd gotten in, searching for any hidden cameras or bugs that would be a nuisance if he wanted to have any privacy during his 'stay' at the watchtower. Obviously he stopped, and marvelled at his stupidity, it was the Batman who hid them. There was no way in hell to find them, unless you had x-ray vision of course. The mercenary suddenly regretted kicking Superman out earlier. Renegade groaned when the itch returned and he was beginning to wonder if his ID was worth enduring it any longer, probably not since he didn't even know his ID. I mean, if he didn't know who he was what were the chances they would? The boy growled in annoyance as he sat up no longer being able to stand the discomfort, his hand flying to his mask and he grabbed the contour of the black fabric between his thumb and index, he was about to yank it off his face once and for all when the door opened. Renegade's hand dropped to his side and he propeled himself from the bed, landing with a small thump to face yet 'another' hero, 

'don't they ever take a break?' 

In front of him was standing a woman with wings and a helmet that resembled a beak, holding a-'Is that a freaking masse?!'

'Looks that way.'

"Renegade I am-" 

"Shayera Hol, Chay-Ara, Hawkgirl, Thanagarian military yata-yata-yata. Why are you here?" The assassin cut her off before she could continue because he could really spare one of their really long and boring origin stories for a change. The last time he allowed someone to blab about their past before he beat them to a bloody pulp he almost bored him to death. And that had been on a good day. 

Hawkgirl stared at him wide-eyed before she quickly shook the shock off of her face and spoke in a more harsh tone, he smirked. She had barely been in here a second and she already despised him.

"I am here to escort you." 

"And where shall you escort me to?" He grinned holding his chin and stepped closer to her. 

"There's been a change of plans." She said, her shoulders straightening. Her voice suddenly became more grave and imposing and her lips curved downwards as she looked over him, chin jutted, a sort of superiority morphing her features.  
This was exactly why he hated heroes Renegade thought, they believed themselves to be superior. They had the right to decide what was wrong and what was right and the rest of them had to get along. (Rhyme) It made him sick. 

'You and me both.'

Ren hadn't realized his grinning had been replaced with a frown as she pulled out cuffs from behind her back and bound his hands together before she grabbed him strongly by the bicep, leading him through the almost empty hallways of the flying headquarters. He quietly allowed the small tugs that showed which directions to take, admitting that he would have been lost otherwise.

'How does anyone find their way here?!' 

'Why are you asking me? I've been here as long as you have.'

'I wasn't talking to you.' He rolled his eyes at the sarcastic voice, assuming he could see him. 

She gave his arm another pull, it was starting to get annoying, he could feel her fingers intentionally tightening around his arm, he almost laughed when he realised the Thanagarian was trying to provoke him.

'Oh sweetie, it's gonna take way more than that.'

'That it shall, bring forward the empty milk carton!'

'Could you shut the fuck up?'

'I will if you get her to.'

"The beak is a bit cliché don'tcha think?" 

"What?" She asked, clearly surprised, frowning in confusion. 

"Your helmet."

"Not particularly, why ?" She asked as she leaned a bit, interest in the question slowly getting the best of her.

"I mean. Isn't it a bit too much? It's obvious you can fly and your name is Hawkgirl. Is the beak really necessary?" 

"This is thanagarian armour." She spoke harshly but the boy didn't bat an eye. He knew insecure when he saw it, trust him. He's had plenty of experience.

"Friendly advice, loose the beak and get a bird tail or something. Oh make it look like a rainbow! Kids love rainbows! And sparkles! Jump in a pile of glitter and it'll be perfect." A snort ran through the air as they closed in on a weird platform that started glowing. 

"Maybe I should change my name for Perroquet too." He faked a gasp and turned to look at her as they both stood in the center of the circular metal plate, taking advantage of the distraction to look at the room. It was filled with zeta-technology? 

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Although he couldn't see past the blank lenses of her helmet he was sure as hell she rolled her eyes and as a reflex, grinned at her only aggravating her more. He was about to drop another sarcastic comment when Hawkgirl turned on her heels, her wings brushing his face, nearly knocking him off his feet and as he recovered from almost being thrown onto his back, he concluded that it had been a deliberate act to spark conflict.

'Looking for beef are we now?' 

'I like this chick, I wonder what sound she'd make if-'

'SHUT UP.' He screamed before the entity had the chance to finish the remark. God he missed being sane. 

Renegade finally decided not to act on it and waited patiently for her to finish whatever the hero was doing to confront her about the fact that she was supposed to be the mature adult and that in no less than ten minutes she had already lost her cool. He almost tisked, what were heroes these days? Wasn't it an obligation for them to have self-control? It had always been the case with the one he had encountered in the past but now, it looked like they picked them off the streets, tossed them around a bit and declared them League worthy. Putting the fate of the world in the hands of some impulsive morons. 

'Batsy, you're getting lazy old man.'

'Probably tired from fucking Selina every night.'

'OH. MY. GOD. I think I just puked in my mouth a little.' 

Almost on queue, Hawkgirl faced him, but her expression had morphed into a snarl. "I don't know what Batman sees in you, but his deduction has not failed us yet so I will trust him with his choice but I warn you." Her hand fell back to its original resting place but this time the grip on his arm became painful, "I have watched these children grow, they are part of our-my family. If you hurt them, I will make you suffer. Understood?" Renegade could only nod slowly, processing what she had just told him before releasing his arm and walking away, her entire body tense as if the growing distance between them was compromising the safety of someone else. Like she wanted to turn back and lock him back in his cell instead of letting him roam free, which of course he totally understood. But like...What fucking children? He was beginning to consider the option that dear sweet Hawkgirl had consumed some expired bird food when suddenly, light erupted above him. It was so intense he was blinded, his cuffed hands providing some shielding but his efforts seemed to be in vain against the increasing brightness. The distant reminder that he was on a pile of metal floating in space made him suddenly feel uneasy as he was forced to stand there, wondering if he would suddenly be sucked into the cold, dark, void of space that would crush and kill him instantly or disintegrated by lasers. Honestly, both sounded equally terrifyingly awesome ways to kill him. Too awesome to be something the Justice League would come up with but he let himself dream.

The mercenary's body was suddenly taken over by a falling sensation. But not falling falling, disoriented left, right, up, down, back and forth kinda falling. He forced himself to breathe and calm his heartbeat, 'whatthefuckwhatthefuckshitfuck'

Finally he felt his feet touch the ground, he let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding and unclenched his balled fists, his jaw relaxing as well. 

He slowly cracked an eye open, then another, and- 'holy mother of guacamole was I just teleported?'

'Well what do you think?'

The solid ground he had found himself on wasn't at all the floor of the watchtower, granite covered the ground and the ceiling was much higher, actually it looked like a giant cave. Scratch that, it was a giant cave. With the stalactites and everything. He whistled, looking around-

[Recognized Renegade B01]

A loud robotic voice spoke out of nowhere and Renegade let out a rather undignified, screech, jumping a few feet in the air though he would deny it to his last breath.

"Jeezus! How' bout a little warning next time huh?!" The boy yelled to no one in particular. He shook off the adrenaline that had been pumped into his system before turning to face the cave and his eyes widened, he was in complete awe of the headquarters. He'd prided himself in the underground base he had built on his own, high tech all the way with an AI to operate the house, but this-this was some next level shit. His face heat up when he caught himself staring and he started to move on his own, reflex having him memorizing the layout of the base, exits and-Ooh! This mountain must have one intricate ventilation system! The assassin tried not feel to exited at the prospect of miles of vents to explore but couldn't hide the grin that slithered onto his face, his eyes bright beneath the mask. It was the equivalent of a toddler being introduced to a giant ball-pit and he was itching to explore but his feet were rooted to the spot when he heard something move as he entered what looked like the kitchen. He rolled and crouched behind the island, grabbing the bottles of condiments on the counter for ammo, waiting for his to-be target to enter his radius and-

"GAH! WHAT THE-"

Cackling, he kept firing blindly from behind the counter, shaking with laughter at whoever was now covered in relish and mustard, but his laughter was cut short when something grabbed his ankle and dragged him from his hiding spot. For a second his heart picked up a beat but settled when he saw a tall, black haired and blue eyed teenager glaring daggers at him standing next to a redhead in a yellow and red friction-proof suit, covered head to toe in the two dressings. The speedster started at him incredulously before glaring at him and Ren only grinned wider, there was no better stress reliever than pissing other people off. Especially heroes. By now three other of the teenage heroes had come to see what all the commotion was about and he waited, suspended by the ankle, two empty bottles of seasoning in each hand as he shook with silent laughter, waiting in awkward silence. They had yet to speak and the looks on their faces- let's just say that he was lucky his mask recorded everything he saw to review footage during investigations.

"Dude! Do you have any idea how hard it is too clean this thing?!" The ginger exclaimed throwing his hands in the air, clearly exasperated as the blonde archer to his right erupted with laughter. There was one girl with green skin that covered her mouth in attempt to hide her smile that he recognized to be a Martian, weird, he was sure there was only one martian on the League last time he checked. Next to her some dude with gills was staring at the scene, his features dawning an intrigued expression. Probably an Atlantean Renegade guessed, he looked back at the archer intrigued when he recognized her but opted to grab his captors attention. He cleared his throat, immediately finding all eyes on him. Good.

"Would you be so kind as to put me down?" He smiled sheepishly when the Kryptonian glared further before dropping him, the boy landing ungraciously with an 'oof' upon impact.

He groaned and got to his feet, dusting his costume and grinning back at the group. 

"Hiya! I'm Renegade." The young assassin presented himself cheerfully. Might as well get over with it right away. The Martian was the first one to answer, flying in front of him and shook his hand, a genuine smile on her face.

"Hi! I'm Miss Martian but you can call me M'gann M'orzz or Megan, that's an earth name." She spoke excitedly, presenting him to the other heroes who waved awkwardly at him. "This is Aqualad." She pointed towards the Atlantean. 

"You may call me Kaldur'ahm." He gave him a small, polite smile and offered his hand which he took. 'Looks like he's the civil one. God he's gonna hate me. '

"This is Artemis." The archer waved at him quietly, not bothering to hide the mistrust in her eyes and he merely nodded at her.

"Kid Flash." The speedster glared at him, whipping the mustard from his face. Renegade grinned at him which only aggravated him more.

"And this is Superboy." He didn't try to shake his hand knowing the Kryptonian clone would probably snap it like a twig and he was already injured enough thank you very much. 

Renegade turned towards the speedster and halting an arm's length away, noting the tense shoulders. 

"Sorry 'bout the whole-" He gestured towards his dirty suit. "If it makes you feel any better, I would have done to anyone who entered the room. You just happened to be that person." The surprise was obvious on his face, weariness heavy in the room and the mercenary chose to ignore it. Bats had probably told them something along the lines of 'he is a deadly assassin, don't let his childish demeanour fool you.' Yeah right! He was cute and cuddly. A cute and cuddly murderous teddy bear. Okay so still pretty deadly but he knew what he meant. 

They were all starting to feel awkward when the computer announced the arrival of one Dark Night and the ex-apprentice sighed. Whoopty friggin' doo. 

"Team, I trust you've met with your newest guest." The vigilante spoke rather wearily, sensing the uncertainty. 

"Yeah yeah thanks for checking up on me. Mind telling why I'm here. It's a nice place and all but I should really get going." He answered, all playfulness being sucked out of him. This guy, I swear, always ruining the fun. It's like the guy couldn't bare to watch others be happy. There was probably a sob-story underneath it all and he was so not up for an origin story anytime soon. 

"You're the newest addition to this team. Your fighting skills along with your hacking aptitudes will be advantageous on the field." The tall man spoke, his voice level. 

"Excuse you? I am already part of a team? I also happen to have a family that's probably worried sick about me by the way! I can't stay here." The boy fought to keep his voice even while panic seized his insides. Why didn't he just stay home with Jewel, in front of the fire, sleep in on Sunday and spent the day watching movies on the couch? She was probably panicking right now, telling everyone she hadn't seen him for a whole day! Ivy, Harley, Selina and Chris helping her search for him. Catwoman clawing people's face off looking for her son, Chris on a murderous rampage. Holy hell was he in trouble. 

"If you have any concerns for your family you can contact them under the supervision of a Leaguer." Batman denied him any escape. Like hell he would contact them and leave them wide in the open, easy to trace. He cursed the man inwardly, that brute wanted to find out who he was under the mask, who he was connected too in his civilian life, for him to lead him to them. 

"Fuck you old man! If you think you're gonna keep me here then you've got something else coming!" His voice rose in volume, anger bubbling his chest. Who did this bully think he was? 

"This is not up for discussion. The team will show you around the cave, your quarters have been prepared for you, you will find clean civilian clothes and a utility belt on your bed. Your will memorize every compartment and practice using it in combat tomorrow morning. Do you have any questions." 

"Yeah, what in the tepid fuck made you believe I would go along with all this? Like I'm not even getting payed for this? Yes payed I'm a mercenary. Whaddya expect?"

The boy's voice was enough an indicator of the emotions that threatened to blow over. The heroes watched from afar, the scene unfolding before them, tensing when the man moved forward and grabbed the boys hands that were bound together, removing the bondings and replacing them by a black bracelet. They exchanged a few more words and the assassin suddenly turned away from him, bristling with fury as he made his way to the weary group of teenagers. 

"Which one of you is going to show me the way to my room?" His voice was deathly calm and Megan wasted no time to escort him to his room. He stepped inside without as much as a second glance and closed the door behind him. The boy growled and threw the first object that he found at full force, pouncing the pillows of his bed furiously until all that could been heard was the heavy pants that filled the room. He growled, itching to punch someone's face in and grind their bones to dust but eventually calmed down. He would find a way to alert his family and they'd catch on quickly. Jewel would ignore him for a few days and Chris would ground him and things would return to normal after a few weeks. He just had to be patient until the opportunity opened itself to him. He had gotten away from Batman time and time again. This wouldn't be any different. 

The boy sighed and held a pillow against his chest, rubbing his face tiredly before his eyes fell on the utility belt a few inches next to his foot, what a bunch of bull. Him? The Renegade, a hero?

You have got to be kidding.


End file.
